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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Fraser Wilson

West of Scotland League set null and void deadline with time running out on season

Bosses of the newly-formed West of Scotland League have set an April 3 deadline for the green light to restart training - or they will null and void their season.

The league, which forms the sixth and seventh tiers of Scottish football, began in October.

But it was brought to a halt in January when all football below the Championship was stopped amid growing coronavirus cases.

Although League 1 and 2 have now restarted training and will recommence fixtures on March 20, everything below that level remains in limbo with West clubs still awaiting direction from the SFA.

And should they still be frozen out by April 3 the West will call time on their season.

WOSL chiefs previously agreed they would crown champions if 50 per cent of games had been played - something that would require 10 rounds of fixtures. But some Premier League clubs have played as few as five games.

Clydebank currently lead the Premier Division which brings with it the opportunity to win promotion to the Lowland League.

A statement said: “The board have confirmed that due to the current suspension of the game due to the coronavirus pandemic, the current football season will be officially ended and declared null and void if clubs are not allowed to resume full contact training by April 3, therefore allowing for the resumption of competitive fixtures no later than the April 17.

“At the start of the season, the then Interim Management Group confirmed that 50 per cent of matches across all divisions would be required to be played to allow the league to be determined on a points per game basis, should the league competition have to end prior to the completion of all fixtures.

“An average of 10 rounds of fixtures are required to be played to achieve that milestone and allow all clubs to have played each other at least once. With the Premier Division Champions requiring to be determined no later than May 22 to allow possible participation in the Lowland League Play-offs, this would require clubs to play both weekend and midweek fixtures from the 17th April.

“Therefore should it become clear that this will not be possible, the league will be declared null and void and the focus will thereafter be on planning for the start of the 21/22 season.

“Meanwhile the league welcome the announcement from the Scottish Government regarding the easing of lockdown restrictions but would remind clubs that the current suspension of training remains in force until we receive a further update from the SFA.”

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